Grooved tongue depressor



Oct. 27, 1964 w. H. RING 3,15

GROOVED TONGUE DEPRESSOR Filed July 31, 1962 INVENTOR. Va/face R a? I BYI A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,154,069 GROOVED TONGUE DEPRESSORWallace H. Ring, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to Serenson ResearchCorp., Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Filed July 31, 1962,Ser. No. 213,758 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-15) This invention relates toimprovements in a tongue depressor, and more particularly to a tonguedepressor readily usable with substantially any commonly known type ofmouth-gag, the invention being highly desirable for use in connectionwith oral surgery where anesthesia is administred by way of endotrachealintubation, although the invention will be of advantage for other usesand purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the performance of oral operations, most surgeons find itadvantageous to utilize a mouth-gag equipped with a tongue depressor tomaintain the mouth open and the tongue depressed and held forward. Mostfrequently it is preferred to administer anesthesia by Way ofendotracheal intubation and this, of course, requires a connectionbetween the blade of the tongue depressor and the endotracheal tube.Various forms of tongue depressors have been manufactured in the pastembodying different structures whereby the blade of the tongue depressormight properly be associated with an endotracheal tube. These formerlyknown tongue depressors have proven highly objectionable to theoperating surgeons, however, for various reasons. One of the mainobjections was the fact that in order to properly connect the blade ofthe tongue depressor with an endotracheal tube, it was necessary thatthe tube be positioned within the patients trachea but disconnected fromthe anesthesia administering apparatus while the tongue depressor wasconnected to the tube. This embodied the risk of dislodging theendotracheal tube, forcing it farther down into the trachea, or abradingthe trachea by excess manipulation of the tube. Also, these formerlyknown tongue depressors resulted in a. pinching of the endotrachealtube, insufficiently held the tube against slipping, and either thetongue blade, the tube, or both objectionably 0bstructed the surgeonsvision, or occupied the operative field to an objectionable extent.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a tongue depressor so constructed that it mayreadily be positioned in the patients mouth and associated with anendotracheal tube already positioned without the necessity of moving thetube or disconnecting it from the anesthesia administering apparatus.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of a tongue depressorhaving a blade arranged to hold an endotracheal tube securely in properposition during an oral operation.

Also a feature of this invention is the provision of a tongue depressorhaving a blade capable of holding an endotracheal tube in properposition during an operation, but so constructed that even extremelysoft tubes will not collapse under the necessary pressure applied to thetongue blade.

It is also a desideratum of this invention to provide a tongue depressorwhich dose not obstruct a surgeons vision when in use, and whichmaintains an endotracheal tube in proper position out of the field ofoperation and in such location that the vision of the surgeon isunobstructed.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a tonguedepressor having a blade with a groove extending longitudinally thereofto receive an endotracheal tube, the blade having notches at each end ofthe groove so 3,154,069 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 that it may be easilyslipped into engagement with a positioned tube.

Another important feature of the instant invention is the provision of atongue depressor having a blade provided with a groove extending thefull length thereof, with a lateral notch leading to an end of thegroove to facilitate positioning of the blade over and in holdingrelationship with an endotracheal tube.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the underside of a tonguedepressor embodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the tongue depressor;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view illustrating the tonguedepressor associated with an endotracheal tube positioned in the mouthof the patient;

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional viewtaken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3, lookingin the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the depressor. I

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention comprises anL-shaped structure including a lateral tongue blade 1 and a dependingarm or shank 2 connected substantially at a right angle to one end ofthe tongue blade. The arm or shank 2 may be arranged in any suitablemanner for connection to any of the well known mouth gags, such as theDingman, Davis, McIvor, Jennings mouth gags or the like.

The tongue blade 1 is generally spatulate in shape with the free orinner end thereof curved downwardly as indicated at 3 to engage the rearportion of the tongue. EX- tending longitudinally of the tongue bladeand centrally thereof is an upstanding hollow bead formation 4 whichdefines a groove 5 on the underside of the blade for the reception of anendotracheal tube. It is preferable that the groove 5 extends the fulllength of the tongue blade as illustrated. The free or inner end of thetongue blade is provided with a notch 6 in the downwardly curved portion3 of the blade leading to the groove and enabling the tongue blade to beseated over a tube already positioned in a patients trachea. Adjacentthe bend of the L-shaped structure, and substantially in the upper endof the arm or shank 2 a laterally extending notch 7 leading from theside of the device to the groove is provided. This notch is sopositioned that the groove itself opens substantially through the upperend of the arm 2 as seen in FIGURE 2. Since the notch 7 narrows theconnection between the blade and arm at the bend of the structure, thebead formation 4 is carried around the bend opposite the notch asindicated at 8 so as to provide more than adequate strength and rigidityat the connection between the arm and blade.

An S-curve formation 9 may be provided in the arm 2 below the bend, ifso desired, for the purpose of facilitating connection with a mouth gag.

The instant invention may be properly positioned with ease and facilityand is extremely effective in operation. Assuming, for example, thatendotracheal intubation has already been established with a tube 10 asdiagrammatically shown in FIGURE 3, and the tube already connected withanesthesia administering apparatus, it is a simple expedient to engagethe blade 1 of the depressor with the tongue 11 of the patient byseating the blade 1 on the tongue with the tube received in the notch 6at the inner end of the blade. The depressor may then be moved sidewisea trifle so that the tube It) enters the notch 7, seating within thegroove 5, and then adequate pressure may be applied to position and holdthe tongue as desired. The operation of positioning the tongue blade isextremely quickly accomplished without the necessity of moving ordisconnecting the endotracheal tube 10, eliminating any danger ofpushing the tube into the trachea, or abrading or irritating the tracheaby manipulation of the tube.

As is apparent from the enlarged showing in FIGURE 4-, the groove 5 inthe blade 1 contacts between one-third and one-half of the circumferenceof the. endotracheal tube It) and that is quite sufiicient to preventeven very soft tubes from collapsing under the pressures applied to thedepressor. It will be noted that the tube is effectively held inposition between the blade 1 and the tongue 11 of the patient, and thetube at the outer end of the blade extends sidewise as seen in FIGURE 3,and the vision of the operating surgeon remains unobstructed by eitherthe tube or the depressor. It will also be noted that the tube cannot bepinched by pressure from the tongue blade either at the front of themouth where the tube crosses the teeth, in the middle of the blade wheremost pressure is applied, or at the back of the tongue Where the tubecurves to enter the trachea. During an operation, the blade effectivelyholds the tube against lateral slipping and the tube cannot becomedisplaced but is held immobile While the operation proceeds. Aftercompletion of the operation, the tongue depressor may be easily removed,again with no movement of the endotracheal tube or no need for itsdisconnection from the anesthesia administering apparatus.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eifectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tongue depressor,

a spatulate blade to bear on the tongue,

a hollow bead formation extending longitudinally of said blade andforming a downwardly opening groove,

a shank depending from one end of said blade at substantially a rightangle,

said groove extending the full length of said blade and opening throughsaid shank,

said shank having a transverse slot communicating with said groove, and

said blade having a slot at the free end thereof leading to said groove,

whereby an endotracheal tube may be placed in said groove through saidslots and held by said blade.

2. In a tongue depressor, a one-piece generally L-shaped structurecomprising a lateral spatulate blade, and

a vertical shank,

a hollow transversely arcuate bead formation lengthwise of said bladedefining an open groove on the underside of said blade,

said shank having a transverse slot communicating with said groove, and

a part of said bead formation opposite said slot extending past theunion of the slot and groove and merging into said shank to provideadequate strength at the angle of the L-shaped structure.

3. In a tongue depressor, a generally L-shaped structure comprising alateral spatulate tongue blade having a central groove extendinglengthwise of its underside, and a vertical shank having a transversenotch at its upper end leading to said groove.

4. In a tongue depressor,

a one-piece generally L-shaped structure comprising a lateral spatulatetongue blade having a groove extending lengthwise of its undersidethrough the angle of the L-shaped structure, and

a vertical shank having an opening at the termination of said groove.

5. In a tongue depressor,

a one-piece generally L-shaped structure comprising a lateral spatulatetongue blade having a groove extending lengthwise of its underside, and

a vertical shank,

said structure having a slot therein leading to each end of said groove.

6. In a tongue depressor,

a spatulate tongue blade having a groove extending longitudinally andcentrally thereof,

an arm connected at one end to one end of said blade,

said blade having a centrally disposed notch at its free end leading tosaid groove, and

there being a laterally extending notch leading from one side of saidblade to said groove adjacent the junction between said blade and saidarm.

7. In a tongue depressor,

a one-piece generally L-shaped structure comprising an elongatedspatulate blade to bear on the tongue,

a hollow bead formation extending longitudinally of said blade centrallythereof defining a downwardly open groove,

a shank depending from one end of said blade at substantially a rightangle thereto,

said groove extending through said shank,

said shank having a transverse notch therein leading to said groove,

said blade having a notch in the other end thereof at said groove,

and the portion of said blade on each side of said groove adjacent theblade notch being downwardly inclined,

whereby said depressor may be engaged with an endotracheal tube alreadypositioned in a patient and hold said tube in said groove withoutmaladjustment of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,396,933 Jacoby Nov. 15, 1921 1,613,373 Beck Jan. 4, 1927 2,756,742Barton July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 206,542 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1939OTHER REFERENCES Mueller Catalog of Mueller & Co., Chicago (1938), page119, Figs. A-6695 and A-6697 relied on.

4. IN A TONGUE DEPRESSOR, A ONE-PIECE GENERALLY L-SHAPED STRUCTURECOMPRISING A LATERAL SPATULATE TONGUE BLADE HAVING A GROOVE EXTENDINGLENGTHWISE OF ITS UNDERSIDE THROUGH THE ANGLE OF THE L-SHAPED STRUCTURE,AND A VERTICAL SHANK HAVING AN OPENING AT THE TERMINATION OF SAIDGROOVE.